Fifth appeal postponed for Asia Bibi

Pakistan (MNN) — Asia Bibi, the Pakistani Christian woman who has been sentenced to death, has had her appeal postponed again.

On May 27 Bibi was due to appeal her death sentence for blasphemy, but as with the last four occasions, it has been cancelled.

No new date has been set.

Bibi, a mother of five, has been in prison since 2010. She was arrested by police on June 19, 2009 and charged with blasphemy after engaging in a religious discussion with co-workers. Bibi told co-workers, “Our Christ sacrificed His life on the cross for our sins. Our Christ is alive.” She was then beaten and locked in a room.

Christians urged police not to file blasphemy charges, but pressure from local Muslim leaders forced police to ignore their request. Bibi was convicted of blasphemy and sentenced to death.

Blasphemy is a serious crime in Muslim-majority Pakistan and carries the death sentence. But human rights groups say the charges are often trumped up as a means of settling personal scores and vendettas.

Those accused of blasphemy in Pakistan face threats to their life from extremists. Relatives often have to go into hiding to escape the same fate, and being behind bars doesn’t make the accused any safer.

Pray for comfort and strength as Asia Bibi and her family suffer through this injustice. Pray that she will be set free.